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NGC Star (*) Designation


When did NGC begin designating: star (*) for exceptional eye appeal?

Do you feel it's worth a crap?

I'm not an NGC fan but would like to know.
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  • mkman123mkman123 Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭✭
    many of the star coins are very nice!
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  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    I'm not sure when they started but it had to have been a few years ago now. Yes it is worth a crap as people definitely will pay a premium for it.



    -Paul
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm a big fan and in two of the series I collect it makes a difference most of the time (walkers and commems) Of course it depends on the degree of the eye appeal. MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • HighReliefHighRelief Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Look at the Battle Creek Collection, they put a star on every coin when most were not even worthy of it.
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,382 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've seen a lot of their toned coins, many with and many without. I have come to the decision that it is not worth a premium sight-unseen, and sight-seen, I can judge for myself. Their original standards were very nice and laudable--no fingerprints, the coins had to have exceptional eye appeal, etc. More recently, I've seen lots of ho-hum toned coins that are nice, but to me not worth much, if any premium. In addition, I've seen coins with light prints that can be very distracting. A great example would be the non-monster Battle Creek coins that have just slivers of color, and in my opinion don't merit the star.

    Many of the coins I own have the star, and that's fine, but many others don't, and some are far nicer than those that do have the star.
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research

  • I wonder if PCGS will follow suit for PQ coins.

    Seems like a gimmick to me but if it works???


    Still wondering when this started though?
  • HighReliefHighRelief Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I wonder if PCGS will follow suit for PQ coins.

    Seems like a gimmick to me but if it works???


    Still wondering when this started though? >>




    NGC Star Designation
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It was intiated in late 2000 but not in all series.

    Early commems started being eligible for stars in April of 2002. MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
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  • That half dime deserves a star regardless of it's numeric grade!
  • SkyManSkyMan Posts: 9,493 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Look at the Battle Creek Collection, they put a star on every coin when most were not even worthy of it. >>



    HR, with all due respect, know the facts before you state an opinion. There were 9,000 Morgans submitted to NGC from the BC bags. Of these nine thousand just over 1,400 got the star. Therefore the VAST majority did not get the star.

    I will be the first to agree that many that did get the star did NOT deserve the star. IMO roughly 600 of these ~1,400 should have in NO way qualified for the star, ~300 were UNQUESTIONABLY star worthy, and another ~500 were possibly/possibly not star worthy.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,824 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>When did NGC begin designating: star (*) for exceptional eye appeal?

    Do you feel it's worth a crap?

    I'm not an NGC fan but would like to know. >>



    It sounds like you have already made up your mind.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • 19Lyds19Lyds Posts: 26,492 ✭✭✭✭
    NGC fans love their Star (*) designation.


    Me?



    I'm not an NGC fan.................
    I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.



    The name is LEE!
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  • << <i>With regards to that 1837 H10c that i posted, it is the nicest cbhd eyeappeal wise for the entire year imho, it also happens to be the highest graded 1837, at ms67. Whatever the grade I have never seen a nicer cbhd, and since it happens to ne in a ngc holder i think it definitely deserves a star. >>



    Awesome coin and major clashing on it. I think I am going to start collecting these next year. But there appear to be some marks on it no? Do you think its deserving of a 67? Definetly deserving of the star either way.
  • leothelyonleothelyon Posts: 8,488 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's absolutely meaningless! Look at all the MS67 grades they've handed out over the years for many series. I was complaining about this back in the mid 1990's when we use to get the Teletrade catalog in the mail. The pages would be filled with NGC MS67 graded coins. Go look at their pops report, they're laughable. Due to my posts here and complaints from many others, they finally did the right thing took them out of public view. I wouldn't buy an NGC graded coin sight-unseen if that Mark Salzberg signed his name to them.
    Because their pops are so saturated with overgraded coins, that's why they came up with this crap, to create some kind of market. First the W to note white coins and that didn't last very long and now we have the star, big whoppy-doo! Just like all the coins they grade, you need to really see the coin before buying them.
    I've been looking at their coins for almost 20 years and I have only one coin in their slab in my main set, 2-3 stragglers and 4-5 proofs And they all sit in one of those red 2x2 cardboard boxes longways.
    Nothing to get excited about from this collector.
    I remember a dealer getting excited about a colorful 1950-D that was certified by NGC as a MS67 5 step nickel. He had a big price on that coin and after viewing it, I couldn't say a word about it. It lacked the strike and luster to be graded MS67, I sure as heck wasn't interested in it and he knew it.


    Leo

    edited; didn't like the word straddlers

    The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

    My Jefferson Nickel Collection

  • thisnamztakenthisnamztaken Posts: 4,101 ✭✭✭✭✭
    IMHO, whether or not you agree with a specific coin's star designation is akin to giving your personal opinion of a holdered coin's stated grade - you need to evaluate the coin's grade and/or eye appeal according to what your personal experience, expertise, and preferences dictate.
    I never thought that growing old would happen so fast.
    - Jim
  • Reading all of these posts I think anyone would conclude that the Star designation is meaningless. Eye appeal by definition is subjective ( grading is also to a certain extent but has aspects of objectivity) so the star means nothing. If you look at a lot of NGC coins and see what is starred and what isnt they may as well throw darts to determine which coins get it and which dont.
  • jhdflajhdfla Posts: 3,030 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Reading all of these posts I think anyone would conclude that the Star designation is meaningless. Eye appeal by definition is subjective ( grading is also to a certain extent but has aspects of objectivity) so the star means nothing. If you look at a lot of NGC coins and see what is starred and what isnt they may as well throw darts to determine which coins get it and which dont. >>




    It's not quite that bad, but I agree they tend to be all over the place sometimes, like their grading in general. A shame really, because there are some really great coins accurately graded in NGC holders that sometimes get passed over simply because they reside in an NGC slab.
  • As a coin seller....I think it adds value so it can't be meaningless image


    As a coin buyer....I know what I like star or no star.....I have owned coins that were no brainer stars that didn't get the designation and I have had coins graded that stared and I was like WTF? So yes by nature the star and the whole grading process is subjective but I personally like the star designation. image
  • IrishMikeIrishMike Posts: 7,737 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Reading all of these posts I think anyone would conclude that the Star designation is meaningless. Eye appeal by definition is subjective ( grading is also to a certain extent but has aspects of objectivity) so the star means nothing. If you look at a lot of NGC coins and see what is starred and what isnt they may as well throw darts to determine which coins get it and which dont. >>



    I guess I am not anyone then. I only own one coin with the designation. To me it means the graders at NGC think the coin has attributes better (in my case a 68) then a regular 68. Of course many many people here who don't grade coins for a living and have never taken any grading courses can grade much better than NGC or PCGS for that matter so to them it would be meaningless.

    If I buy your argument that eye appeal is just subjective ( which I believe is rather naive) then at least it will have some added value at resale time to all of us who don't measure as well as professional graders at a reputable service. As far as throwing darts my own experience is that the vast majority of times I have seen a * coin I can see why.

    But then again I admit to being a so so grader so after 50+ years of collecting I still need a crutch once in awhile and am not so sure of myself that I won't admit that.
  • Dont get me wrong here. I am not an NGC basher by any means. I like the fact that NGC coins sell for less. It has allowed me to get many nice coins for less money. No Koolaid here. If the star causes coins to sell for more money i guess yeah its not meaningless to the marketplace. I hope PCGS does not adopt a similar concept though. I would like to think they understand that its really not a valid concept. The way people collect certain types of slabs ie Doily's etc I guess it should not be surprising that people like the star concept. I stand by my original opinion.
  • BUFFNIXXBUFFNIXX Posts: 2,727 ✭✭✭✭✭
    IMO the star designation is like a grade between the grades. Lets say you were looking for a top end mint state 1938-d buffalo nickel and three were available, an ms67, and ms67 star, and an ms68, all slabbed by ngc. You would find that the ms67 star is priced higher than the ms67 but less than the ms68. Instead of the ms67 star they might as well say ms67 plus or ms67+. I think it is just another method of extracting more moolah from the collectors of ngc graded coins. And apparently it is working. (buffnixx)
    Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
    a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
  • llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭


    << <i>I wonder if PCGS will follow suit for PQ coins.

    << <i>

    PR70DCAM * CAC (Red) - Now that'sa gonna costya!
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  • lcoopielcoopie Posts: 8,873 ✭✭✭✭✭
    LCoopie = Les
  • gsa1fangsa1fan Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    Stars are cool way of putting a seal of approval on exceptional eye appeal.

    Some I agree with some I don't.

    Those that are stars with the pop/bang demand multiple prices often.

    I have one that graded a star. Great satisfaction when you know the grader's REALLY liked your coin.

    Avid collector of GSA's.
  • "Some I agree with some I don't" Thats my point. Some like blondes, some brunettes, some...
  • coinguy1coinguy1 Posts: 13,484 ✭✭✭
    It is true that the NGC star designation is subjective in nature. However, based on the many examples I have seen, far more times than not, they tend to be above average in terms of eye-appeal. Thus, given the choice of a star coin or a non-star coin on a sight-unseen basis, I would certainly much prefer the former.
  • lope208lope208 Posts: 1,960 ✭✭
    I'm glad they "threw the dart" at this one...

    image
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  • lope208lope208 Posts: 1,960 ✭✭
    I should add...this is my first and only star and I would've purchased the coin whether the TPG starred it or not.

    I'm even considering crossing it because I'm a PCGS Set Registry guy...

    So, I guess the star doesn't mean a whole lot to me. Plus, those damn prongs!
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  • Nice coin Lope. I actually like the prong holders on the larger coins though. They have grown on me.
  • dizzyfoxxdizzyfoxx Posts: 9,823 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Do you feel it's worth a crap? >>



    Sure, why not
    image...There's always time for coin collecting. image
  • leothelyonleothelyon Posts: 8,488 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>search for ngc star >>




    Gave me an error image .....and no, you don't have to fix it. image


    Leo

    The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

    My Jefferson Nickel Collection

  • I like the star myself image

    image



  • << <i>So, I guess the star doesn't mean a whole lot to me. Plus, those damn prongs! >>



    ----------------------------------------------

    Agree 100%. The slabs suck and the Stars? They seem to sell just not to me.
  • image


    I had two STAR* Franklins and liked them both
  • blu62vetteblu62vette Posts: 11,943 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It means less to me as time goes on and means very little to me right now.
    http://www.bluccphotos.com" target="new">BluCC Photos Shows for onsite imaging: Nov Baltimore, FUN, Long Beach http://www.facebook.com/bluccphotos" target="new">BluCC on Facebook
  • greghansengreghansen Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭
    Last time I checked the numbers (which was severl months ago), it was clear that a the star designation was awarded far less often (meaning harder to get) than the CAC sticker. Standing alone, that doesn't mean much but I find the designation helpful and on occasion I have paid a premium for coins which have it. Of course, I may have paid the premium even if the holder didn't have the designation, but there is some comfort in knowing my opinion is shared by others who know more about grading than I do.

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  • mrearlygoldmrearlygold Posts: 17,858 ✭✭✭
    I bought this proof gold quarter eagle and really thought it would ucam. Instead it received the star from NGC.

    I'm not unhappy and have my own theory as to why it didn't ucam. It's nicer than the image.

    image


    image


    Oops, that's the auction image. JUST got the coin back from NGC today and haven't had a chance to image the coin yet.

    I do believe this specimen will have no trouble getting a CAC sticker image

    I also think this coin is a really good deal in comparison to the 67 Ucam that sold for near 50 G's.
  • greghansengreghansen Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭
    Dammmnnnn, that's a nice looking Q-Eagle!

    Greg Hansen, Melbourne, FL Click here for any current EBAY auctions Multiple "Circle of Trust" transactions over 14 years on forum



  • << <i>I've seen a lot of their toned coins, many with and many without. I have come to the decision that it is not worth a premium sight-unseen, and sight-seen, I can judge for myself. Their original standards were very nice and laudable--no fingerprints, the coins had to have exceptional eye appeal, etc. More recently, I've seen lots of ho-hum toned coins that are nice, but to me not worth much, if any premium. In addition, I've seen coins with light prints that can be very distracting. A great example would be the non-monster Battle Creek coins that have just slivers of color, and in my opinion don't merit the star.

    Many of the coins I own have the star, and that's fine, but many others don't, and some are far nicer than those that do have the star. >>



    I agree 100% with you. I just don't see a need for this designation. Seen some which should have gotten a star but didn't and seen some with stars that simply shouldn't have had it on the slab.
  • mozinmozin Posts: 8,755 ✭✭✭
    The star on the NGC label brings a lot of extra money in some series. I have yet to own one, maybe because I collect the Bust Series.
    I collect Capped Bust series by variety in PCGS AU/MS grades.
  • erwindocerwindoc Posts: 5,284 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like the idea of star coins, but I will agree that all star coins are not created equally. Some will only bring a small premium at sale, while others I have seen go for nearly 10x what the typical grade goes for. I am still trying to learn the eye appeal factor that gives them "the look" when I send one in. I have tried many times and failed every time on what I think deserves a star.
  • coinguy1coinguy1 Posts: 13,484 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I bought this proof gold quarter eagle and really thought it would ucam. Instead it received the star from NGC.

    I'm not unhappy and have my own theory as to why it didn't ucam. It's nicer than the image.

    image


    image


    Oops, that's the auction image. JUST got the coin back from NGC today and haven't had a chance to image the coin yet.

    I do believe this specimen will have no trouble getting a CAC sticker image

    I also think this coin is a really good deal in comparison to the 67 Ucam that sold for near 50 G's. >>

    Tom, that's a great looking coin. Based on the images, it looks to me as if it missed the ultra cameo designation because the obverse portrait isn't heavily enough frosted.
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  • << <i>Look at the Battle Creek Collection, they put a star on every coin when most were not even worthy of it. >>



    A half dozen of my commems are so designated, obviously I think they are nice or they wouldn't be in my collection. However I agree about the Battle Creek, many that don't seem to have that much fizzazz yet they sport the * label.
    image


  • << <i>The star on the NGC label brings a lot of extra money in some series. I have yet to own one, maybe because I collect the Bust Series. >>



    this would star no doubt in my mind if i crossed it to NGC image

    image

    image
  • .......jeezzes ..........awesome Bust Half .........


  • << <i>.......jeezzes ..........awesome Bust Half ......... >>

    image

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